Week of October 5th

The Great Commission:

    The Great Commission in Matthew is this:

“Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.”

The main verb in this sentence is “make disciples”.  It is in the imperative mood.   In other words, it is not an option for the church today.  It is what we are commanded to do.   Everything we do is to revolve around this directive.   Many times resources are wasted on non particulars.  Making disciples however is the “engine” of the automobile.   It is what makes the car run.   Cut it out and there is no chance of the car even moving. 

What does it mean to “make disciples?   Jesus tells us clearly.   He uses three circumstantial participles (all picking up the imperative mood force of the main verb) to describe what disciple-making involves:

• ·         Go:   We are to take the initiative to move beyond our comfort zone to help people know Him.   This is to be a worldwide injunction.  We cannot relegate this duty to a select few.
• ·         Baptize:   Baptism assumes we are sharing the gospel with others.   You cannot baptize someone who has not trusted Christ as Savior.  Before they undergo water baptism as a ceremony, they must be spiritual baptized into the Body of C   As hrist (I Cor. 12:13; Romans 6:1ff).  This spiritual baptism occurs when they trust Christ as Savior.   Christ immediately comes to reside within them.  The Holy Spirit regenerates them and seals them as His own (Eph. 1:13ff; Titus 3:5).
• ·         Teach:  Once someone becomes a member of God’s family, they need to grow in relationship with Christ.  This process of being set apart unto God as His Holy instrument, for His eternal purposes, involves daily dependence on Him and submission to His Word.  Growth in Christ towards spiritual maturity involves learning to think and act as Jesus did----all within the context of an evangelical  church of course.  

 As we order our lives and His church toward this simple mandate “make disciples”, then all the non-particulars remain as such.   We will stay “on balance” in our lives and in the church.    May God give us the strength to do this very thing. 

Next time, we will discuss more of the spiritual needs “among all nations”.  So stay tuned!    In His grace, John Jones, CrossLife Director